I was sitting outside and finally there was some warmth in the air.
It had been a long winter.
The birds started singing again.
The trees had started budding on the leaves.
Moments of green grass peeked through the otherwise brown earth and I started to see some flowers had surfaced.
And I sat with my face up to the sun feeling that slightly cool breeze with the hope of spring and summer in the air.
Feeling the sun resting on my face.
And in that moment I was taken back to a time a few years ago when a friend of mine only had a couple more days on this earth.
And in her moments of knowing that she was going to pass she often would take in those simpler times.
This one particular memory was of her and I sitting outside.
Wrapped in blankets,
Face to the sun,
Just being still.
Being silent.
And with both of our eyes closed just being aware of that moment.
How the air smelt and felt.
How the warmth felt on our skin.
The echo of nature around us.
The slight chatter of people nearby.
What was most noticeable for me in that moment was my breath,
The rise and fall,
My heartbeat.
And also the sheer love within that moment,
Honour and gratitude to be able to share this space with my friend.
Feeling that deep place of peace within her.
That deep sense of acceptance of what was to come.
But also without that clutter and chaos how simple being in that one moment was.
When we're not challenged by the chaos of our thoughts or the pull of our life we can simply be with more ease.
And it reminded me of love in a way.
And so I was thinking what is beyond love?
Love in theory is everything.
But beyond love for me was that moment.
And are those moments?
It's something that is hard to define or explain even.
It's that sheer feeling of stillness,
Of peace,
Of acceptance,
Of witnessing.
A place when we are in tune with everything around us and not attached to the chaos.
Not attached to the mind.
That is a gift in itself and a place we can reach and remember to pause.
And so as birds landed nearby me in that moment I remembered that she said once,
You'll find me in the birds after I've gone.
And in truth we find each other in everything around us.
When we come from that place of love,
Heart,
Stillness and soul.
And so within those thoughts wishing you a day where you can find a moment of beyond love.
